Air Tractor AT401 accident near Belle Glade, Florida, November 26, 1990
On November 26, 1990 at about 2:25 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT401, registered N1005J, was destroyed in an accident near Belle Glade, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE, RESULTING IN A UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1990 · about 2:25 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Glade, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT401
- Registration
- N1005J · no longer on the register · serial 401-0691
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP TO CONDUCT AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD COMPLETED A SPRAY RUN TO THE WEST. HE PULLED UP 15 DEGREES NOSE HIGH AND WAS 150 FEET AGL WHEN HE MADE A RIGHT BANK FOLLOWED BY A LEFT BANK OF 40 DEGREES. DURING THE LEFT TURN THE PILOT WAS LOWERING THE NOSE AND EXTENDING FLAPS WHEN THE AIRPLANE STALLED WHICH RESULTED IN A UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Flight time: 270 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,461 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1990; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from PBI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.